Fire-extinguisher.



A. L. HANSEN.

FIRE EXTINGUISH ER.

APPLICATION FILED 0516.16. 1914.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

2 HEETSSHEET l.

Mw y.

A. L. HANSEN.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED 050.16. m4.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915; i

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGIE L. HANSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JUS'IRITE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

Application filed December 16, 1914. Serial No. 877,512.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'AUGIE L. HANSEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new andv useful Improvements in Fire-Extinguishers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fire extinguishers, particularly to the portable kind which are held and directed by one hand and for which actuating mechanism is provided to be operated by the other hand.

lflxtinguishers of this class are usually installed in homes, factories or other buildwhen it is desired to use the extinguisher.

Usually, in case of fire, there is considerable excitement and if the discharge controlling mechanism or other mechanism, which must first be operated before the discharge mechanism can be operated, should not work readily, there willbe more excitement and considerable time will be lost before the extinguisher can finally be operated and the lire attacked. Some persons, when excited, would only partly open the discharge outlet, or would neglect to open it at'all and would immediately forcibly operate the actuating mechanism with the result that parts would be strained or broken and the extinguisher put out of commission.

The main object of my invention is to provide in an extinguisher in which the discharge outlet is normally closed, such construction and arrangement as will entirely eliminate the necessity of first manipulating valves or making other preparatory adjustment before operation of the actuating mechanism. In other words, the main object of my invention is to automatically effect eflicient control of the discharge outlet so that all that will be necessary to do for the one desiring to use the extinguisher will be to pick up the extinguisher and immediately operate the actuating mechanism and The discharge controlling inechanism may stick or be hard to manipulate thereby avoid any loss of time in getting the contents to the fire.

Another important object of my invention is to provide simple and eflicient means for effecting such automatic control and complete opening of the discharge outlet and which will not interfere with efficient operation of the actuatingmechanism.

It may happen'that persons, particularlywhen excited, will'attempt to actuate the operating mechanism in the wrong direction which might result in' derangement of extinguisher parts and would certainly result in loss of time.

Another object of my invention is therefore to provide improved means for preventing such wrongful operation and for inducing operation in the right direction.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved means for protecting the actuating mechanism against bending, breaking or'other injury, particularly Where the actuating member is in the form of a crank. By means of my invention the crank or other actuating member will be securely held in the safest position but in such manner as not to interfere with the immediate operation thereof when it is desired to use the extinguisher.

It is desirable to seal the actuating mechanism to discourage tampering therewith and also for .the purpose of indicating that the extinguisher is in fit condition for operation.

Another object of my invention is therefore to provide efficient sealing means for sealing the actuating mechanism in normal position but which will not interfere with efficient operation of the actuating mechanism when the extinguisher is to be used.

The above and other features of the invention are treated in detail in the following description and are illustrated on the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the extinguisher, Fig. 2 is a side view taken at right angles to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a front end view, Fig. 4 is a sectional view on plane 4-'l, Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a sectional view on plane 55, Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is an' enlarged view of the inner end of the crank showing its ratchet connection with a supporting shaft, Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view on plane 44, Fig. 1, of the discharge valve mechanism, Fig. 8 is a plan View of the discharge valve seat, and Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional "iew showing modified arrangement for controlling the discharge outlet.

The various features of my invention can be applied tovarious types of extinguishers.

In the drawings I have shown the features applied to the type disclosed in my co- K ending application Serial No. 828,111, filed arch 30, 1914. I

The extinguisher shown comprises 2. cylindrical container 10 having caps 11 and 12 secured to its front and rear ends respectively. Within the container a piston structure 13 is adapted to reciprocate; The container and the caps maybe constructed of sheet metal and the cap 11 has the opening 14 lined by a strengthening bushing 15 in which the discharge controlling mechanism is applied. Within the cap 11 discharge mechanism designated as a whole D is connected with the piston to effect movement thereof toward the discharge end of the device,- and in the cap 12 is arranged restoring mechanism R connected with the piston and adapted to effect movement thereof awa from the discharge end of the device.. xtending through the cap 11 and journaled' in the'sides thereof is a shaft 16 to which is secured a worm 17, the rotation of this shaft being controlled by a crank 18 associated with one end thereof at the exterior of the cap. Secured to and depending from the crown of the cap 11 is a U- frame 19 in the ends of whose limbs are longitudinal slots 20 and 20. Within the U- frame 19 is a U-frame 21 which in its limbs supports the shaft 22 whose ends extend into. the slots 20 and 20' of frame 19. Within the limbs of frame-21 the shaft 22 has secured thereto the winding drum 23 and a worm gear 24. Secured in the base 21 of the frame is a sleeve 25 which extends into the bushing 15 and which is internally threaded toreceivethe threaded end 26' of the nozzle member 27, the exterior of this member, being polygonal for receiving a wrenchor other tool. The worm gear 24 is in line with the worm 17 and when the member 27 is screwed into the sleeve 25 its base 28 will abut against bushing 15 and will draw the sleeve together with frame wardly and the gear 24 will be brou ht into mesh with the worm. However, w en the member 27 iswithdrawn and the member 25 released, the frame 21 is free to move to disengage the gear 24 from the. worm. To

afiord better seating the base 28 of the member 27 may be beveled and the edge of the bushing 15 likewise beveled. A cable 29 which is wound at one end on the drum 23 is secured at its other end in any suitable manner to the piston structure 13. I shown, the cable extends into the pocket30 of a plate 31 and is secured by being knotted. When the worm 17 is in driving engageinterior of the container.

As "the valve chamber is the valve 49 havin the ment with the worm wheel and the crank is turned the cable will be wound on the drum and the piston will be brought toward the discharge outlet. When the contents have been entirely discharged the nozzle member 27 is withdrawn to release the drum and the restoring mechanism R in cap 11 is actuated to draw the piston toward the other end of the contalner, the container being then again filled and the nozzle member 2 re-applied to restore driving relation between the drum "one direction the wheel will rotate idly on the shaft and when turned in the opposite direction the shaft and reel will be rotated to wind up the cable38 whose one end 38 is secured to the reel. The cable 38 may be secured directly to the piston but in order to increase the power exerted by wheel 34, the cable passes through a sheave 39 pivoted in a frame 40 which is swiveled to the plate 41 secured to the piston. The end 38" of the cable could be anchored directly to the frame of the extinguisher but it is shown anchored to the upper end 42 of a ring 42 whose lower section 42 engages between the walls of the reel 32 and abuts against the outer cable turn on the reel as clearly shown in Fig. 4. An indicating arm 42 extends from the ring to the exterior of cap 12 and coiiperates with a suitable scale 43 on the extension 44 on the cap, the arrangement being such that when the-piston is drawn toward the discharge end and the reel 32 unwound or the: reel 32 is wound to restore the piston, the ring will be shifted in accordance Descri ing now the mechanism for automatically controlling the discharge outle the nozzle member 27 has the cylindri valve pocket 45 from the base of which vextend concentric valve seat ridges 46 and 47 from the. space between which passageways .48 extend through the member 27 and its threaded neck 26 to communicate with the Slidable within central discharge passageway 50 whic in the base of the va ve is surrounded by the annular pocket 51 containing a washer 52 valve ridges and closes the passageway 50,

from the passageways 48. However, when the valve is released and the actuating mech anism operated, the liquid will flow from the passageways 48 into the valve chamber and then through the discharge passageway 50. A retaining cap 53 threads onto the flange 54: until its shoulder 55 abuts against the flange end. The'cap top has the opening 56 through and beyond which the reduced upper end 49 of the valveextends. \Vhen the valve is released and the actuating mechanism operated the pressure exerted against the liquid will force it upwardly but the seating of the conical intermediate surface 57 of the valve against the beveled inner ed e 58 surrounding opening 56 will prevent eakage of the liquid from the cap should any liquid succeed in getting past the valve.

On the outside of the cap ll adjacent the opening 14 is a lug 59 on which a locking lever 60 is pivoted at an intermediate point by a screw 61. The lever is formed of flat metal and its inner end is bent .to provide the section 60 for traveling across the projecting end of the valve.- The section 60' is spaced such distance from the end of the cap 53 that when the lever is swung about its pivot it will pass across the projecting end -19 of the valve and will force the valve inwardly. against the seating ridges to close the extinguisher. outlet. tongue 62 depending downwardly from the section 60 strikes the cap and limits the closing movement of the lever, and normally the lever is in such valve closing or locking position. The upper end 49' is roluided in order that the lever can readily pass into position thereover.

In the normal position of the lever its outer rounded end 6O extends into the path of the arm of crank 18 so that when the crank is rotated it will strike this end and will swing the lever to carry its section 60 entirely away from the valve so that fur- Q5- tents at the rate and force depending upon ther operation of the crank will result in ejection of the contents as the piston is drawn toward the discharge end of the extinguisher. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the full lines show the normal positions of the lever and crank and the dotted lines show the positions after the crank hasengaged the lever tm'i swung it to'release the valve. The crank nogmall extends away from the discharge en an encounter the lever and will swing it to release-the valve and further rotation then of the crank will result in ejection of the con- An abutment 7 along side of the container, this 66 being the safest position, and when the crank the rapidity with which the crank is turned.

- It is therefore unnecessary for the user of be automatically opened and the contentsdischarged. After the extinguisher has been used the crank is restoredto its normal 150- sition and thelocking lever shifted back to its normal position in locking'engagement with the valve, the abutment 62'assuring accurate positioning thereof. To protect the lever against bumps or blows or displacement from its normal position when the extinguisher is not in use, its inner end is deflected downwardly and engages in the slot 63 between the valve member 27 and the edge of cap 53.

In order' to seal the crank to discourage tampering therewith its outer end 18* is deflected to be in parallelism with the end 60" of thelocking lever when the crank and lever are in their normal positions, and these overlapping ends are provided with holes 64 and 65 respectively through which a if the locking lever has not been entirely shifted to open position it will be engaged by the crank and will be moved to such po sition. I

As the crank extends some distance from its supporting shaft it could readily be bent by accidental blows or by falling of the extinguisher unless it were protected. 1 I provide such protecting means in the form of a hook member 67' which has the slot 68 for receiving the crank handle. This hook member is pivoted in order that it can beswung out of the path of the crank after the crank once leaves it. As shown,'a strap 69 is clamped around the container by a bolt 7 O engaging through the ends thereof, the ends bemgextended and bifurcated and semi-circular to receive a pivot pin 71 for the hook member 67 whichextends betweenthe bifurcations'as clearly ,shown in-Figs. 1 and 5. As the length of cable is such that therewill be a number of turns'left on .the drum when the piston is at the opposite end of the container, 1t is very important that the crank be started and continued in the right direction in order to prevent unwinding'of the cable and perhaps tangling thereof. The hook, member is therefore also controlled to prevent starting of the crank in the wrong .direction'. As shown the hook member has the abutment shoulder 72 which can conveniently abut against the nut 73 of the clamping bolt (Fig. 5). With this arrangement, when the 1.30

user picks up the extinguisher, turning of the crank any distance in the wrong direction is blocked by the hook member, and the user seeing the open-ended slot 68 will naturally turnthe crank out of the slot in the the crank well toward the knob end thereof and thus tending to prevent bending or breaking thereof. In order also to prevent accidental rotational displacement of the crank theinner point 7a of the hook is extended into the slot at distance to form an abutment shoulder for the crank which tends to lock it in the hook slot. However, when the crank is started in the right direction by the user it will push against the shoulder and swing the hook to carry the shoulder away, the crank being then free to leave the slot. After-the crank leaves the slot the hook member willremain in the path thereof but the crank will strike its rear edge and shift it out of the way into position indicated by dotted lines, Fig. After use of the extinguisher the crank is brought a short distance beyond its neutral position, the hook member then moved to its normal position and the crank 're'inserted therein.

The hook member will of course assure starting of the crank in the right direction but will not prevent operation of the crank in the wrong direction after is leaves the hook -member. I therefore provide ratchet connection between the crank and the worm shaft 16. Such connection is plainly shown in Figs. 1 and G. A ratchet wheel 75 is secured to the flat sided section 76 of the shaft between washers T7 and 78, the wheel and washers being held in place by the screw 79. Encircling the ratchet wheel is the hub 18 of the crank, which hu'b pivots a pawl 80 held toward the ratchet'wheel by the spring 81. The arrangement is such that the worm shaft will be rotated only when the crank is operated in the right direction.

In fighting a fire the all important thing is of course to get the contents of the extinguisher to the fire in the shortest time. The abutment tongue (32 on lever (30, the ratchet connection of the handle, and the detent 67 -all cooperate to assure proper operation and therefore to prevent loss of time.

The detent 67 will require starting of the crank in the right direction and the user will in nearly all cases continue operation of the crank in the direction in which he started it. However, it might occur that the detent 67 had not again been latched to the crank after a previous use of the extinguisher and in such condition there would be nothing to prevent starting of the crank in the Wrong direction, or, even though the detent were properly latched to the crank, some excited person might properly move the crank out ofthe detent then push the detent aside and tive movement of the crank the ratchet con-.

nection thereof with the drum mechanism will prevent any turning of the drum and the cable will be prevented from unwinding and perhaps tangling. However, considerable time has been lost, for after the half negative revolution in the wrong direction, the user will have to bring the crank back to the starting point and must then continue in the right direction to effect ejection from the extinguisher, and thus a complete revolution of the crank is wasted. \Vith the various safe-guards the extinguisher is foolproof, and any person, no matter how excited or inexperienced he may be, will be able to operate it. The seal is constructed to be very readily opened and when the crank has been rotated 180 degrees the acquired momentum will easily throw the locking lever to its valve releasing position and the contents will immediately flow from the discharge outlet.

The pressure accumulated within the container before the discharge outlet is opened will effect immediate projection of the stream to a distance and no time will be lost in getting the range of the fire. Before and after operating the extinguisher the user knows from the scale mechanism 42, 43, ust how much liquid there is in the container. Usually, however, unless only very small quantity has been discharged, the nozzle member 27 will be withdrawn and the extinguisher refilled, and after such operation the locking lever is restored to normal position to closev the valve, and the crank is restored to normal position in its detent hook and a new seal is applied.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a modified closure arrangement for the discharge outlet. In this arrangement a special valve is omitted, the locking lever (30 acting as the valve. The plug 82 has the threaded-neck 83 for engaging in the sleeve 25 and has the central discharge passageway or outlet 84. Seated in the plug and surrounding the mouth of this passageway is a circular washer 85 which may be of leather, and this washer forms a valve seat for the section 60 of the lever (30. Normally the lever extends across the plug and against the washer to close the discharge outlet, the end (50 engaging in the slot 86 formed in the plug serving to hold the lever firmly against the washer. When could also be made in the mechanism for carrying out such principle. without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim as follows:

1. In a lire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a discharge outlet, discharge mechanism and an aotuating'memher therefor. and a detent member normally in position to lock the actuating member against starting in the wrong direction and adapted to he moved out of the path of said actuating member after starting thereof.

In a tire extingulsher, the combination of a container having a discharge outlet,

' discharge mechanism and an actuating member-therefor, and a pivoted detent member normally engaging said actuating member to lock it against swing in one direction to thereby prevent starting of the actuating member in the wrong direction but being free to be swung out of the path of the actuating member afterstarting thereof. I

In a fire extinguisher. the combination of a container having a discharge outlet, discharge mechanism within the container, a crank at the exterior of the container for actuating said discharge mechanism, a lever normally arranged to prevent flow through said outletand extending into the path of said crank to be shifted thereby to permit flow through said outlet.

4. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a discharge outlet, discharge mechanism within said container, a crank at the exterior of said container for actuating said discharge mechanism, a valve for said outlet, a lever normally cooperating with said valve to prevent flow through the outlet, said lever extending into the path of said crank to be actuated thereby, to release the valve to allow flow through said outlet.

5. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a discharge outlet, discharge mechanism and actuating mechamsm therefor, closure mechanism for the discharge outlet normally closing said outlet, an a seal normally connecting said closure mechanism and actuating mechanism and tending upon operation of the actuating mechanism in the right. direction to effect movement of the closure mechanism and opening of the discharge outlet.

6. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a discharge outlet, discharge mechanism Within the container and actuating mechanism therefor at the exterior of the container, a valve for the discharge outlet, a locking memberv normally holding the valve closed, and a seal normally connecting the actuating mechanism and locking member and tending upon operation of the actuating mechanism to effect movement of the locking member to release the valve.

7. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a discharge outlet, discharge mechanism within the contain'er and actuatingmechanism therefor at the exterior of the container, a valve for the discharge ou t-let, a locking member normally.

holding the valve closed, and a seal normally connectingthe actuating mechanism and locking member and tending upon operation of the actuating mechanism to efi'ect movement of the locking member to release the valve, said locking member extending normally into the path of said actuating mechanism to be moved to its full valve releasing position if said seal should break before movement of the locking member thereby to complete valve releasing position.

8. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a discharge outlet, discharge mechanism within the container and actuating mechanism therefor at the exterior of the container, a valve for controlling the discharge outlet, a locking member normally holding the valve in closed position, said locking member extending into the path of the actuating mechanism and adapted to be moved thereby to release the valve when the actuating mechanism is operated in the right direction, and means for preventing releasing movement of said locking member by the actuating mechanism when said mechanism is operated in the wrong direction.

9. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container. having a discharge outlet, closure mechanism at the exterior of the container normally positioned to close said discharge outlet, discharge mechanism Within the container, actuating mechanism for said discharge mechanism at the exterior of the container adjacent the discharge end, said closure mechanism being in the path of operation of said actuating mechanism to be moved thereby to permit flow through said discharge outlet.

10. In a fire extin isher, the combination of a container having a discharge outlet, discharge mechanism Within the container, actuating mechanism for the discharge mechanism at the exterior of the container, closure mechanism normally positioned to prevent flow through the discharge outlet, said closure mechanism being in the path of operation of said actuating mechanism to be sitioned to prevent flow through said discharge outlet and extending into the path of operation of said actuating mechanism to be shifted to permit flow through the discharge outlet when the actuating mechanism is operated in one direction, and means for preventing shift of the lever from normal position when the actuating mechanism is operated in reverse direction.

12. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a discharge outlet, discharge mechanism within the container, a crank at the exterior of said container for actuating said discharge mechanism, a closure member associated with the discharge outlet and normally positioned to prevent outflow therethrough, said closure member extending into the path of operation of said crank to be shifted to open the discharge outlet when the crank is moved in one direction, and means for vpreventing opening movement of the closure member when the crank is operated in reverse direction.

13. In a fireextinguisher, the combination of a container, discharge mechanism within the container and an actuating member therefor at the exterior of the container a nozzle member providing a discharge outlet from the. container, a lockingmember at the exterior of the container associated with said nozzle member, said locking member being normally'in the path of operation of the actuating mechanism and in position to prevent flow through the nozzle member, said locking member beingadapted upon engagement therewith by the actuating mechanism to be shifted to permit flow through said nozzle -member.

14f. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container,anozzle member at one end of said container having an out-let passage, discharge mechanism within the container and an actuating member therefor at the exteriorof the container, a locking lever pivoted adjacent said nozzle member and normally having one end positioned to prevent flow through the discharge outlet and its other end extended into the path of operation of saidvactuating member whereby when said actuatinglmel'nber is operated it will engage with the outer end of said lever' to shift the lever to permit flow through said discharge outlet.

15. In a-fire extinguisher, the combination of a c'ontainer, a nozzle member at one end thereof, discharge mechanism within the container and an actuating member therefor at the exterior of the container, a lever pivoted adjacent said nozzle member, the inner end of said lever normally extending over said nozzle member to prevent flow therethrough and its outer end extending into the path of operation of said actuating member, said lever being free to be shifted by the actuating member to permit flow through the nozzle member when said actuatinginember is operated in one direction, and means for. preventing shifting of the lever by the actuating member when said member is operated in reverse direction.

16. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a container having a discharge outlet, a closure for said outlet, discharge mechanism in the container and a crank therefor at the exterior'of the container. said closure being positioned tobe struck by the crank to be thereby shifted to open the discharge outlet.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of December, A, D. 1914;

AUGIE L. HANSEN.

Witnesses:

C r-muss J. SoHMmr, EDMUND G..INGERSOLL.

copies or thlspatent may be obtained for in cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

